Trampolines are the dream of any child, and not so children… Being able to float in the air for a second and then fall knowing that we will bounce back up. But not everything is good, trampolines have certain risks, both for leisure and for sports that are used in the gym. This is why we wanted to make a stop on this topic and explain everything about trampolines.
Trampolines are a surface where you can bounce and jump endlessly and even reach great heights. Like everything in life, it has its risks, and it is not the same for children, as for adults or for playing sports. We will see all this information in detail in the following sections.
Characteristics
To find the perfect trampoline for us, we have to take into account a series of characteristics that are almost always overlooked.
- The slope of the terrain must be less than 3 degrees , anything above it would be inadvisable and even very dangerous.
- The surface must always be clean and dry.
- Choose those that have protective walls.
- Make it a wide surface free of holes and grips. There are those with the springs, seams and grips, hidden under the canvas itself, those are the best options.
- No more than 3 people inside the trampoline, unless they are experts and have good control over movements and turns.
- Prohibited for children under 3 years . It is appropriate to wait for 6 years.
- There must be a safety space of at least one and a half meters outside the trampoline, in case we fall out.
- The canvas should not collapse until it touches the ground, if that happens it is excess weight, an unsuitable trampoline or it is in poor condition.
- You have to check the safety, if there are rusty, loose, broken parts, etc.
Are they suitable for all ages?
Anyone can use them, but it is appropriate to be older than 5 or 6 years and younger than 70 years . It is not suitable for people with vertigo, dizziness, poor stability, poor coordination, injuries, foot or back pain, pregnant women, wheelchairs, crutches, and the like.
Let’s remember that it is an unstable surface, and if there are children or adults jumping, it will be even more unstable. This is why we must reduce the chances of accidents as much as possible, which is already without high on a trampoline.
This is why children under 5 years of age should not enter, at least not when there are more people, not even older people, people with difficulty moving, people with poor reflexes, those with leg or back injuries, pregnant (at any stage of pregnancy), etc. You have to be careful how you use it.
In the following sections we are going to learn about the benefits and contraindications or risks of using a trampoline, either to practice jumping, a very fashionable sport today, or to enjoy an afternoon of games with our children and nephews. in the garden.
Benefits of its use
Yes, jumping on a trampoline has benefits, in fact 10 minutes of jumping are equivalent to 30 minutes of running and on top of that we save 40% of the impact on the joints. We are going to learn more about the benefits of jumping, whether it is at a sports level in a gym, or at a hobby level at home.
Helps lose weight
Normally we think that going for a run or training for an hour in the gym will make us lose weight, but, nevertheless, with only 10 minutes of jumping we manage to burn the same calories as running for 30 minutes , swimming without stopping for 40 minutes and riding a bike at great speed. speed 30 minutes.
According to a NASA study, 10 minutes of jumping is equivalent to a 30-minute running workout and on top of that it is much more fun, since we develop muscle strength faster than with any other exercise.
Improves balance and coordination
Jumping on a trampoline helps improve balance, which is vitally important to prevent falls and strengthens all the bones, cartilage, tendons and muscles in the body and improves coordination . In addition, it helps us to be more alert when it comes to reacting in a fall and being able to put the arms, remove a leg, turn the body, etc.
Strengthening of the bones
Jumping is much more fun and healthy than going running or jogging for a while, no matter how much we go with headphones listening to our favorite music or we are accompanied by friends.
Jumping strengthens the musculoskeletal system according to NASA, since landing after a jump is equivalent to twice the force of gravity, so muscle strength is developed and bone diseases such as osteoporosis are prevented. Of course, if we have an injury or illness, they could not help to reduce the pain, but rather make it worse.
stronger and healthier heart
Cardiovascular health is very important, since it is the muscle that keeps us alive, so we must always take care of it, exercising, eating healthy, eliminating vices, etc. Jumping on a trampoline helps us improve your health in a fast and fun way.
With just 10 minutes of jumping, we manage to get our heart in shape, strengthening the muscle, improving circulation, respiratory capacity , blood pressure and all the gear to stay alive and healthy.
More concentration and better mood
A scientific study showed that children who jump on trampolines before going to class improve their concentration and willingness to attend classes and do homework . This is because it wakes up your mind, gets your body going, lifts your mood, and makes you happy.
This discovery can also be extrapolated to adults, after this physical effort, our concentration improves and we work faster. We all know the benefits of playing sports and how it helps us relieve stress and recharge our batteries, well, just the same, but with just 10 minutes of jumping.
Main risks
We already know everything good about trampolines, now we are going to know the ugly part. There are risks, and they are not few, what happens is that today people are more aware and trampolines are much better prepared and with better materials and more security systems. In this way, the risks are minimized, but still exist.
Lower extremity injuries are very common, both in children and inexperienced adults. The most common are dislocations, sprains, strains, even breaking bones, contractures due to blows, dislocated bones, etc.
All this can be avoided by reducing the number of people to a maximum of 3 and that they are always of similar heights and weights. Otherwise, the one with the lowest weight will reach more height and more speed and will not be able to control the landing, which could have very serious consequences.
